No Automatic Ticket For Fubara Or Yusuf, Party Source Reveals

The prospects of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, securing second-term tickets under the All Progressives Congress (APC) remain uncertain.

Although both governors are now associated with the ruling party—Fubara through a formal defection and Yusuf expected to join soon after resigning from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)—powerful local resistance and competing political interests in Rivers and Kano have cast doubt on their re-election ambitions.

Several APC insiders, speaking anonymously to Punch, confirmed that neither governor has been formally guaranteed automatic return tickets ahead of the 2027 general elections. Sources noted that party stakeholders and aspirants in both states are resisting any attempt to impose candidates, emphasizing the need for transparent and competitive primaries.

Governor Fubara officially left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC on December 9, a move widely seen as a strategic effort to strengthen his re-election bid. However, the defection has heightened tensions between Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, a key political powerbroker in Rivers. Wike has publicly stated that Fubara’s return is not assured and has mobilized party leaders across lines, including both APC and PDP figures, against Fubara’s ambition.

In Kano, Governor Yusuf’s resignation from the NNPP on Friday—alongside 21 state assembly members, eight federal lawmakers, and all 44 local government chairmen—appears to pave the way for his anticipated APC entry. Yet influential figures, including Deputy Governor Aminu AbdulSalam and NNPP National Leader Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, remain in the NNPP, hinting at potential factional tensions that could complicate Yusuf’s acceptance within the APC.

Inside the party, officials said the ambitions of other governorship aspirants in Rivers and Kano have added to the uncertainty. Some have openly rejected any imposition of candidates, insisting on open primaries. A senior APC source described negotiations over the governors’ return tickets as ongoing and unresolved, citing entrenched local interests and complex political dynamics.

The source explained, “A major negotiation for each of the former PDP governors with APC leaders and the Presidency, with the President’s approval, was that their return tickets must be guaranteed. Automatic or not, they would usually have their way. But Rivers and Kano are different; their re-election depends on local party leaders and stakeholders. As of now, no concrete agreements have been reached on Governors Fubara and Yusuf.”

Another senior party official noted that while the APC Governors’ Forum, which plays a key role in funding and managing campaigns, is liaising with the national leadership to secure return tickets for new members, divisions remain over Fubara and Yusuf. Some members are skeptical about their ability to deliver electoral victories in their states.

“The Governors’ Forum decides almost everything, except where the President has a vested interest. While return tickets for some new members have been settled, Rivers is still in dispute, and nothing serious has been decided in Kano. Yusuf’s failure to bring Kwankwaso to the APC is a major setback, and former party chairman Abdullahi Ganduje also backs Nasiru Gawuna as a preferred candidate. Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin is another contender. These issues must be resolved before a final decision can be made,” the source added.

On Rivers, Wike remains a significant force, using his networks to challenge Fubara. If Fubara is to secure a second term, the APC must reach an understanding with Wike and other key stakeholders. The political fates of both governors are still very much in the balance.